Well, we might as well get a few laughs as the inevitable losing season in Oakland draws closer. After chuckling my way through countless threads at RF.net about the talks between the organization and their number one pick (which are now at a stalemate), I thought that we should track this negotiation here for posterity's sake.

From profootballtalk.com:

POSTED 5:42 p.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 6:36 p.m. EDT, July 29, 2007

RUSSELL DEAL COULD BE FOR FIVE YEARS

A league source tells us that the negotiation of a contract between the Raiders and No. 1 overall pick JaMarcus Russell has been and will continue to be a difficult process, and that the Raiders might end up signing Russell a five-year deal.

Per the source, there are whispers of cash issues in Oakland that could prevent the team from funding a six-year package. Though we don't know whether that's a certainty, there's definitely some wisdom in scaling the contract back by a year, since no one knows at this point whether Russell will be a Peyton Manning or a Ryan Leaf. If it's the latter, the team has less money at risk.

Russell is represented by the firm of Metz, Lock, and Malinovic. They also represent receiver Dwayne Bowe. The No. 23 overall selection is a holdout in Kansas City. Said the source about the situation in Oakland, "It will be a long holdout unless the agents take a bad deal."

Per the source, there are whispers of cash issues in Oakland that could prevent the team from funding a six-year package.

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More pft.com ....

OSTED 4:52 p.m. EDT, July 30, 2007

RUSSELL, RAIDERS NOT FIGHTING OVER MONEY

A league source tells us that the primary roadblock to the negotiation of a contract between the No.1 overall pick in the 2007 draft and the team that drafted him is not money. Instead, the delay in a deal between JaMarcus Russell and the Oakland Raiders is due to the structure of the deal.

Per the source, a tentative agreement has been reached regarding the total amount of guaranteed money, and that if the deal is finalized pursuant to those terms Russell will realize more guaranteed money than was paid in 2006 to defensive end Mario Williams of the Texans, the No. 1 selection.

The snag, we're told, is the allocation of guaranteed money to an option bonus. Because of the Ashley Lelie ruling, option bonus money is not subject to forfeiture if a player holds out or gets suspended. But Russell's camp wants most of the guaranteed money to be paid out with that device, which could prompt skeptics to wonder whether there are concerns that Russell might be inclined to at some point hold out and/or do something that will get him suspended.

There has been rumor/speculation that the holdout arises from cash-flow problems on the part of the Raiders.

Here is one guy relaying something he heard on Hacksaw. Now, I know that Hacksaw is a dope and blatantly lies to get callers to call in, but it kinda jibes with the PFT rumors about the Raiders not having the scratch to sign the guy.

Some guy at RF.net said:

He says the two sides are way off on the structuring the deal. The Raiders are trying to backload the contract and add a bunch of team options to the end. Hacksaw is saying that the Raiders pretty much told Metz that they don't have the money to sign Russell to the right kind of contract. Metz's view has been "well then you shouldn't have drafted him." Russell's people have said 4 different people have come into the negotiations, each one with a completely different philosophy each time, and each one coming with a backloaded contract with team options coming in years where Russell would get his roster bonus (typically, a rookie contract gives you a roster bonus in your 2nd year. This one wouldn't give him the bonus until much later.)

The Raiders are seriously screwing the pooch with this right now. Plus one of Hacksaw's people in Miami told him that Culpepper can't pass a physical right now.

Hacksaw is a San Diego honk, but he's never been a huge Raider hater and I trust him when he reports this stuff. You know, this began as something that wasn't a big deal, but this is quickly becoming a HUGE mess.

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Al needs to realize that the "We just don't have the money" ploy isn't going to work in modern NFL contract negotiations. If they think that they are going to lowball the #1 pick overall into some cheezy backloaded deal, well, good luck with that one.

Jerry McDonald of the Oakland Tribune is reporting that the Raiders are expected to sign QB Daunte Culpepper.
If true, Culpepper would join Josh McCown and Andrew Walter, who have been splitting reps with the first team while JaMarcus Russell holds out. Culpepper would have to prove he's healthy to have a legitimate shot at playing time, and his most likely role remains as a backup. Jul. 31 - 1:30 pm et

I got banned, but for some reason it only lasted a day (it might be that I changed identities). I sent a PM to BK the night of the 27-0 beat down last year, basically acting like a drunken lout rubbing it in on what a nice lookin' team the Raiders were. :lol: Next thing you know, BANNED. :icon_shrug:

I love this. When we were going through the Ryan Leaf debacle, then when Eli shunned us. Those Raider fans were laughing really hard at us. Now the tide had turned. I hope to heck this turns into a nightmare for them. They can sit there and eat all those Shyte sandwiches. I hope this runs a very long time. Watch them writhe under the pressure. Watch them buckle as it runs its course. I don’t care how they feel, I just hope it lasts long enough to make them absolutely sick to their stomachs, then after they puke; let’s just rub it back into their faces. Each and every one of those aholes can kiss my derriere

I love this. When we were going through the Ryan Leaf debacle, then when Eli shunned us. Those Raider fans were laughing really hard at us. Now the tide had turned. I hope to heck this turns into a nightmare for them. They can sit there and eat all those Shyte sandwiches. I hope this runs a very long time. Watch them writhe under the pressure. Watch them buckle as it runs its course. I don’t care how they feel, I just hope it lasts long enough to make them absolutely sick to their stomachs, then after they puke; let’s just rub it back into their faces. Each and every one of those aholes can kiss my derriere